Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers brought DK Metcalf in knowing he can make big plays, but haven’t given him plenty of chances to do so.
Mason Rudolph tried hitting Metcalf down the left sideline early in the team’s loss against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but Nashon Wright intercepted the pass. The seventh-year wideout feels deep-ball success will come with repetition.
“I think we just gotta keep trying them,” Metcalf said on Wednesday. “One a game is not gonna cut it, but once we start going deep a lot more, those deep throws will start opening up.”
According to Next Gen Stats, Aaron Rodgers has the fewest average completed air yards (3.3) in the NFL. Metcalf’s average targeted air yards (9.8) are the fewest of his career.
Part of the reason the Steelers aren’t relying on airing it out is that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith believes his pass-catchers have done well picking up yards after the catch. He feels tailbacks Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell are productive underneath coverages, and Darnell Washington is building a reputation for himself in the same way.
“Whatever offense you’re running, the easiest way to score is when you get chunk plays and how do you get it,” Smith said. “You go back to Ireland, it wasn’t a long, developing route, and it was an 80-yard touchdown. Whether the ball went in the air 50 yards or 15 yards, it still got the same chunk you’re looking for, so it’s just the way you’re getting it sometimes. … There’s a lot that goes on and why they don’t happen, but you’ve gotta keep working and, obviously, any offense I’ve been a part of, you wanna get explosive plays.
“I mean, hell, we got one with Jaylen on a checkdown in Seattle.”
Metcalf helped block downfield on that 65-yard reception. He’s taking a workmanlike approach in that way.
“I think just focusing on chemistry,” Metcalf said. “We can’t control any of the plays being called. All we can do is run our routes to the best of our abilities, and just hopefully the ball can find us. But, if not, if we don’t get the ball, just block for our teammates because that’s how explosives get started.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Why Aren’t Steelers Unleashing DK Metcalf?
